


I Heard It

by whatisreggieshortfor



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Asexual Bobby | Trevor Wilson, Asexual Nick, Biromantic Bobby, Biromantic Nick, Bisexual Reggie Peters (Julie and The Phantoms), Conversations, F/F, F/M, Lesbian Carrie Wilson, Lesbian Flynn (Julie and The Phantoms), M/M, Nick is a Danforth-Evans, Pansexual Luke Patterson (Julie and The Phantoms), Pining, Soul Bond, Soulmates, fight me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-14 00:40:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 5,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29162811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whatisreggieshortfor/pseuds/whatisreggieshortfor
Summary: When you and your soulmate are both sixteen, you can hear their conversations in your head. Bobby doesn’t want Reggie to know he’s his.
Relationships: Alex Mercer/Willie (Julie and The Phantoms), Bobby | Trevor Wilson/Nick/Reggie Peters, Bobby | Trevor Wilson/Reggie Peters, Flynn/Carrie Wilson, Julie Molina/Luke Patterson
Comments: 29
Kudos: 157





	1. Chapter 1

Reggie was pretty sure he didn’t have a soulmate. The legend that everyone told him, was when you both turned sixteen, you could hear whatever your soulmate heard when they were talking to someone. But he only ever heard himself and his friends when they were together, and when he was alone he never heard anything. Part of him blamed the loud music he played to drown out his parents. But part of him prayed he didn’t have one. His parents were soul mates, and it had never been anything but fighting his entire life. His band mates and best friends couldn’t wait to hear theirs. Alex was praying it was a guy, cause otherwise his life would be hell for him. Luke hoped it was a girl in their music class. Bobby was the only one that was older than Reggie, and he would never talk about it.

Bobby had been hearing the conversations for months. He knew who it was. He had been hoping it would be them for almost a year before their sixteenth birthday. But then he started hearing what they dealt with when they went home but told everyone every day that they were fine. That it was getting better. And he couldn’t bring himself to do anything about the connection. He knew he didn’t believe in soulmates. Would never believe he was theirs. He knew Reggie would never believe him.

His sister had found hers within a few weeks of their birthday. A girl named Flynn that Bobby loves to hang out with. But, he was always careful. He never held a conversation with anyone if Reggie wasn’t nearby. He didn’t want Reggie to hear him in his head and figure it out before he could work out how to tell him.

The day before Alex’s sixteenth birthday, he was casting his runway strut around the garage and unfortunately Reggie and Luke were in the driveway, so Bobby had to ignore the words in his head and try to calm them down. “Alex, breath. It’s gonna be a guy, the universe wouldn’t fuck you over like that.”

“You can’t know that!” Alex almost shouted as he turned in his pacing to go back the other way. Bobby hopped up, grabbing his arm and dragging him to the couch.

“You need to calm down, you are stressing  _ me _ out.” Bobby huffed, locking his arms around Alex.

Alex was quiet for a moment, before he quietly asked a question, “Why don’t you tell us who yours is?”

If Bobby had known better, he would’ve realized he didn’t hear Luke and Reggie anymore. “Because they don’t want me.” He answered simply. Alex gave him a sympathetic look before letting the conversation drop, and they sat quietly until the others came back in. Reggie looked like he wanted to say something, but Luke made a comment about practicing to take his mind off the next day, so it was forgotten.

When they finished practicing, Luke and Alex headed home, but Reggie stayed sitting on the couch. Bobby was growing concerned the longer he sat there, until Reggie finally spoke, “Why did I hear you and Alex talking?”

Bobby froze for a second, letting out a nervous laugh, “Maybe we were talking louder than we thought.” He offered.

Reggie pursed his lips, watching Bobby’s face for a minute before letting out a resigned sigh. “I guess. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He got to his feet, shuffling out the door as Bobby internally panicked because he  knew.

When Alex burst through the studio doors the next day, he only found Bobby. But Bobby could almost feel the excitement rolling off him in waves. “Bobby! I need you to say my name!”

Bobby blinked, “Bro, what?”

Alex rushed to explain, “My soulmate! He had a conversation with his friend today and used it as a way of telling me things! Did you know people did that?? His name is Willie!”

Bobby smirked, “Well,  _Alex_ ,  didn’t I tell you it would be a guy?”

Alex rolled his eyes but couldn’t keep the smile off his face. “Yeah, you were right. You’re almost always right.”

“Thank you.” Bobby grinned, “Why don’t you make plans with me for tomorrow and maybe he’ll be free to meet you?”

Alex froze like a deer in headlights. “I- I- uh-“

“Willie, if you want to meet Alex then meet us downtown near the skate park at Los Feliz High School.” Bobby grinned harder as Alex’s face flushed.

“He- he said okay.” Alex squeaked.

Bobby suddenly heard very loud voices in his own head. He clutched his head as the words filled it. Yelling that he was worthless. No, not him. Reggie. Before he could think twice about what he was doing, he grabbed ahold of Alex’s arm, dragging him out of the garage and down the road. If Alex didn’t have the longest legs in their group, he probably would’ve had trouble keeping up. “Where are we going?” Alex asked, but seemed to understand when Reggie’s street came into view. Bobby ran up the porch stairs, throwing the door open without a second thought. Reggie was in the corner of the kitchen floor, arms tucked around his head. His father spun around when he heard the door open, yelling that they shouldn’t barge in without knocking. Bobby reared his fist back, connecting it with Mister Peters’s face. Alex grabbed Reggie, getting him out the door. Bobby ran up to Reggie’s room, grabbing everything Reggie needed for school and everything he loved the most, before meeting the two of them outside. Alex called Luke, telling him to meet them at the studio.

When they got back, Alex held Reggie while he cried, and Luke cleaned the busted knuckle Bobby got from the punch. When Reggie eventually tired himself out, Alex looked at Bobby seriously, “How did you know he needed us?”

“I could hear it.” Bobby answered quietly.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reggie moves in with the Wilsons.

Bobby had trouble with the idea of Reggie going home after that. When Reggie asked how they knew what was happening, Bobby just told him that he and Alex had decided to come pick them up to share Alex’s good news. The bassist wouldn’t talk to anyone about what had really happened, and when they asked he would say something about asking his dad for lunch money after he’d started drinking. Bobby hated seeing him so scared to leave when practice was over, so he offered his Nana and Pop pop’s spare room. He’d already grabbed Reggie’s stuff from his house and the bassist was a regular overnight guest anyway, so it wasn’t a big leap.

And it helped Bobby keep his secret. Reggie was around him a lot more, so Bobby worried less about him hearing his voice in his head.

But Bobby also kept falling more in love with him. Every time Reggie would help him with chores even though Bobby assured him he didn’t need to. Every time they worked on homework together and Reggie’s face scrunched up in concentration, Bobby wanted to smooth out the wrinkles in his forehead and promise him he’d get it eventually. Every time Reggie had a nightmare about his parents again, Bobby would open his arms and promise to protect him. Bobby didn’t think there was any further to fall, but every day Reggie proved him wrong.

Nana got Reggie in to see a therapist within a couple of days too, and he was already making progress in knowing he didn’t deserve the treatment he’d gotten from his parents. When Pop pop approached his dad about Reggie officially moving in, he hadn’t even noticed Reggie hadn’t been home in two weeks.

“Are you sure they don’t mind me staying?” Reggie asked for the fiftieth time as he helped Bobby washed dishes.

“Of course I’m sure.” Bobby confirmed again as he passed the plate to Reggie to dry. “They love you, Reg.”

“I love them.” Reggie said quietly, drying the plate and adding it to the stack in the cabinet. “Your grandparents are probably the best people in the world.”

“Their basically your grandparents, too, ya know?” Bobby cleared his throat, “Cause we’ve been friends for years.”

“Yeah.” Reggie whispered. “Friends for years.” He cleared his throat, “What about Carrie? She can’t like having me here much.”

Bobby laughed, “Are you kidding? She definitely likes you more than she likes me.” Reggie grinned at that.

The dishes were done quickly in a comfortable silence, and as they started on their homework, Bobby reminded Reggie that Nana would be picking him up from school the next day for his appointment. Bobby silently thanked the universe that you were able to turn off the connection for short periods of time. He didn’t want to use the bound to eavesdrop on Reggie’s therapy session.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luke gets his soulmate and Reggie confronts Bobby.

Luke was the next one to turn sixteen. He didn’t hear anything a first, but two months later he heard a man with a Spanish accent telling someone happy birthday, and when he looked around he was alone. He grinned, but it faded when he realized the man only called his soulmate mija. He had taken Spanish with his friends, Alex and Bobby helping him and Reggie through most of it, and he knew mija meant daughter. Normally, Alex would be the first one he turned to, but with Bobby’s help he’s been smitten and useless about anything that didn’t involve Willie. So Luke went to the studio before school for the day and found Bobby, he figured Reggie was still fixing his hair to what he deemed perfect.

“Bobbers!” He yelled, hurtling himself across the space to his friend on the couch, “I can hear it.”

Bobby gave him a smile, though a little forced. “That’s great, man. Any idea who it is yet?”

Luke shook his head, “I think it was her dad, called her mija.”

Bobby nodded, “There aren’t many girls at school that have families that speak fluent Spanish.”

As if on cue, Luke started hearing the words again. He knew these voices though, “It sounds like she’s talking to....Carrie and Flynn.”

Bobby grinned, his twin sister had been talking about her friend’s birthday coming up for the last two weeks. “Sounds like it might be Julie.”

“One of the girls just agreed to that when she said it out loud!” Luke grinned.

Bobby nodded, “They should be in the house, Carrie said she was supposed to meet them this morning.” Luke bounded toward the front door without another word, letting himself into the house with Bobby behind him. The three girls were sitting in the living room, as Carrie and Flynn gave Julie birthday presents.

Carrie fell into a fit of laughter, “It’s Luke??” She barked out between giggles. Flynn gave Julie a sly smile and the latter’s mouth fell open. Bobby shook his head with a smile, his sister and her soulmate following him out of the room.

When lunch rolled around, their table was more packed than it had ever been. The four band mates sat squished together, Julie was a blushing mess beside Luke, and Willie was turning Alex into one, and then Carrie and Flynn were on one end whispering conspiratorially to each other. Suddenly, Reggie and Bobby both grabbed their heads, hearing some kind of cheering they couldn’t quite make out. Not a minute later, the lacrosse team came in from the pep rally the group had skipped, celebrating the birthday of the star player. Reggie gave Bobby a sad look, the others seemed oblivious to what was happening. Bobby put his head down, he’s been pretending this long.

He’s heard of soulmates coming in threes. It usually happens when one of them isn’t open to the connection that’s already been made. Whether that means this is his fault, or Reggie’s, he isn’t sure. But he’d bet it was his.

Reggie slammed his palms down on the table, garnering the attention of the others before standing from his chair and grabbing Bobby’s arm, dragging him out the doors to the courtyard. “I have been trying to be patient, Bobble. I really have.”

“What?” Bobby knew what he meant, but he’d been playing dumb for so long, almost six months at this point.

“Don’t what me.” Reggie glared, an edge in his voice that Bobby never heard. “I know that you realized the voice. I know I’m your soulmate. And apparently we have a third because you are pushing me away.” Reggie sucked in a shaky breath, and Bobby realized with alarming clarity that his eyes were glassy and wet, “Am I not what you want?” He asked quietly, the words stabbing in Bobby’s heart.

“What? No, no, Reg, you are so much more than anyone could ever deserve. I didn’t-“ he sighed, “I didn’t say anything because I know you don’t believe in soulmates.” Reggie mumbled something in response, but Bobby couldn’t make it out. “What?”

“I said,” the bassist sighed deeply, a small smile cracking across his lips, “I might not believe in soulmates, but I do believe in the fact that I already fell in love with you.” He took a step into Bobby’s personal space, “And if you’re okay with it, soulmate or not, I would really like to kiss the person I fell in love with.” Bobby could only nod before Reggie pressed their lips together, tilting his head just slightly for a kiss that made Bobby’s breath catch.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bobby and Reggie talk.

Bobby ignored the other voices in his head after that. If it wasn’t with Reggie, it wasn’t a priority. But Bobby needed to tell Reggie something very important if he expected this to work. He turned to Willie for advice.

“You need to just tell him. It isn’t the end of the world like you think it is.”

Bobby groaned, “But it could be a deal breaker for him.”

Willie raised an unimpressed eyebrow, “You really think he’s gonna break up with you for being asexual?”

The guitarist threw his hands up, “Anything could happen! That boy is the most unpredictable force of nature I’ve ever met.” The skater was looking at him with an amused smile, “What?”

“Bro, I’m sorry,” Willie laughed, “But you just sounded so fond saying that I can’t believe you don’t hear when he sounds the same way about you.”

“Could you please just take this seriously?” Bobby pouted and Willie softened.

“Bobbers, there’s nothing wrong with being ace. I’m ace, too.”

“I know, but it wasn’t much a problem for you, Alex is ace. Reggie isn’t. His biggest fear when we used to talk soulmates, aside from being a match like his parents, was not being able to please his partner since most people save themselves for their soulmates.”

“You’ll never know how he’ll react until you talk to him about it.” Before Willie could continue, there was an urgent knock on the front door, and he moved to open it, laughing slightly when he saw a very out of breath Reggie standing there struggling to gasp in air. Bobby paled, he had spent so much time ignoring the secondary connection in his head that he forgot Reggie would be able to hear their talk. Willie slipped out the front door after Reggie made it inside, leaving them alone.

“Reg-“

The bassist held up a hand, silencing Bobby as he finally caught his breath. “Bobert, you really think I would break up with you for being ace?” He asked quietly, taking the seat next to where Bobby had stayed frozen on the couch. “I do not need sex. I need you. Anything you’re comfortable with. I don’t need anything more than you would ever be able to give me.”

“But-“ Reggie pushed his finger against Bobby’s lips.

“No buts, baby. It’s you and me. Always has been and always will be. Nothing is going to change that. You’ve been my best friend since we were  seven . Did you really think I didn’t notice that you never seemed into it when Luke or me talked about sex? You looked like you wanted to throw up.” Reggie paused, taking his boyfriend’s hands in his and rubbing his thumbs over the skin on the back soothingly, “I love you for you, not for anything that you could or couldn’t do.”

“I love you, too.” Bobby answered him, if anyone else were there he’d argue that he wasn’t crying, but he didn’t even try to hide his wet eyes from his boyfriend as he pressed a kiss to his cheek. “You are everything I could ever need.”

Reggie huffed a laugh, “I can’t believe you thought that would be a deal breaker. Like, I have hands, ya know? I can deal with any issues myself.”

Bobby let out a surprised chuckle, “I never meant to doubt you, love. I just know what most people expect when they find their match.”

“When have we ever done what people expect?” Reggie grinned and Bobby returned it, knowing that he was right.

“Come on,” he tugged Reggie’s hand as he stood up, “Nana wanted us to start dinner tonight while she’s with her bridge club.”

“Carrie had Dirty Candi rehearsal right?” Bobby nodded, “So we should make enough for at least two of the girls that usually follow her home after.”

The domesticity was not lost on Bobby as he and Reggie set to work in the kitchen, moving around each other seamlessly as they got different things out and started on the food. Bobby was filled with a sense of relief, and couldn’t help feeling silly that he thought Reggie wouldn’t love him enough to stay with him. He knew the boy in front of him as well as he knew himself, and while anyone else may not have been able to get past that, Reggie was never what people thought. He was kind, regardless of his punk attire. He was funny, and smart, and so caring. Bobby knew they’d be okay, as the soft sounds of Reggie’s laugh filled the air while they cooked and the voice in their head sang a tender song.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick approaches Bobby and Reggie.

Nick’s plan wasn’t subtle. Or even smart. He knew that. He felt bad for the conversation he’d overheard the day before, and if he’d known what it was going to be he would’ve tuned it out. Like he did once a week when he heard the voice say “Good afternoon, Dr. Prictor.” So here he was, climbing out of his car for school, smoothing down his new shirt as the stripes made him self conscious. The design wouldn’t mean anything to anyone that didn’t recognize it, but it meant something to him, and apparently it meant something to one of his soulmates. So Nick braced himself for needing to explain it, and made his way into the building.

Bobby had barely closed the door to his car when he froze. Across the parking lot, he saw Nick Danforth-Evans, star of the lacrosse team and the only guitarist they knew that could rival Luke in skill, was wearing an ace pride shirt. Reggie had slipped his hand into Bobby’s turning to look in the direction that had Bobby frozen, “Is that a-“

“Yes.” Bobby answered breathlessly.

“I didn’t know Nick was ace.”

The rhythm guitarist shrugged, “Neither did I.”

The bassist tugged on his boyfriend’s hand as the warning bell rang, pulling him from his frozen stance toward the building. Bobby didn’t miss the way Reggie kept glancing at him, and wondered what was on his mind.

He was able to find out at lunch. “Why do you keep looking at me like that?” He blurted as soon as Reggie sat next to him.

“What?” Reggie blinked, fiddling with his flannel sleeves. “I haven’t been looking at you any differently.”

“Yes, you have.” Bobby sighed, “What? Did you think I would know about Nick because I’m ace?”

Reggie’s eyes widened, “No, no, baby that’s not- I didn’t think-“ he sighed, taking in a deep breath, “Just, don’t you think it’s weird that he wore that shirt today? When we were just talking about it yesterday?”

Bobby opened his mouth to reply quickly, as they saw their friends in line, but a familiar blonde appeared in front of them. “Uh, hi.” Nick waved awkwardly, “Can I talk to you guys?”

Bobby looked at Reggie, who was staring at Nick with wide eyes. He cleared his throat, squeezing his boyfriend’s hand before looking back at the blonde. “Sure, the others will be here in a second so let’s go outside.” Nick nodded, following the two of them outside as Reggie held Bobby’s hand tightly. When they got to the courtyard, Bobby sat in front of a big oak tree, with Reggie beside him, and Nick sat across from them. “What’s up? Not that it isn’t cool to talk to you, we just, ya know, have never really spoken.”

“Yeah,” Nick tried to clear his throat, “Uh, you know what? This was a bad idea. I’m just gonna-“

“Is this about your shirt?” Reggie blurted, and a flush creeped over Nick’s pale cheeks.

“Well, sorta. I, uh, I didn’t mean to, obviously, but I heard you guys talking yesterday.” Nick was talking fast, rambling as quickly as his brain supplied the words, “And if I knew what you were gonna talk about, I wouldn’t have listened, because it’s basically like I forced you to come out to me, and I would never do that to someone. Especially since I’m ace and I would’ve been angry and upset that I didn’t get to control how someone found out about me and-“

“Nick, breath.” Bobby interrupted gently, placing his free hand on the blonde’s knee. Nick obeyed, following Bobby’s instruction and taking a few deep breaths. “Now, when you say you heard us...?”

Nick looked down at his hands, eyes flickering up to look at Bobby’s hand where it remained on his knee, “In- in my head.”

“You’re our third.” Reggie said softly, gripping Bobby’s hand even tighter, like he was afraid he’d disappear. And Bobby realized he was. He was afraid that Bobby would like Nick better because understood that part of him that Reggie didn’t, though that part didn’t make Reggie love him any less.

Nick nodded, and Bobby made a decision, “Nick, you seem cool. And maybe the universe made us for each other for a reason, but Reggie and I-“

“You’re in love. I know that.” Nick smiled fondly at them, “I hear the way you guys talk to each other, remember? I don’t want to come between that. I would never want that. You guys are amazing together. The soulmate bound has nothing to do with why or how you care about each other. You made that decision yourself. I just- I want to be part of your life, I guess? Like in a friend way.”

“You want to be our friend?” Reggie asked, hopeful but unsure.

“Yes.” Nick nodded eagerly. “That’s all I want.”

Reggie looked at Bobby, a silent conversation taking place when their eyes met until Bobby finally answered, “Okay. Let’s be friends.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reggie asks Nick out.

Bobby could tell Reggie was falling in love with Nick as the months went on. And he could tell that his boyfriend didn’t love him any less as it happened, he was pretty sure Reggie wasn’t even aware of it. Right now, he was laying on his stomach on the living room floor watching Reggie and Nick work on a song for music class. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t get butterflies in his stomach whenever the blonde would smile at him, or when he grabbed his arm while he told a story. And he got the same butterflies when Nick would make Reggie blush, or when they leaned in close to the sheet music, or Reggie grinned up at Bobby with the lopsided smile that made Bobby fall for him in the first place. “Hey, Reg,” he called softly, waiting for his black haired love to look over at him, “Can you come to the kitchen really quick?” Reggie nodded, following Bobby out of the room. He chose not to be around the push as he turned to his boyfriend, “Tell Nick you like him.”

“What?” Reggie squeaked, face immediately flushed, “I- What do you- I don’t like Nick! I love you!”

Bobby rolled his eyes, “Yes, I’m aware you do. But you like Nick, too. And that’s okay. He’s your soulmate, too.”

“But he’s yours too!” Reggie argued, “And I never really believed in soulmates anyway. I’m happy with you.”

“Baby,” Bobby started, taking Reggie’s hands and resting their foreheads together, “Just because you could be happy with both of us doesn’t mean you’re unhappy with just me. If I’m honest, Nick is growing on me. I don’t like him as much as you do, but I’m not saying I couldn’t. Clearly the universe knows we can handle caring about two people the same way.”

Reggie was quiet for a minute before pressing a gentle kiss to Bobby’s lips, “Are you sure you’d be happy?”

“Yes, baby. As long as I have you, I will always be happy.” Bobby thought for a second, “But you might not need to tell him. He can hear us if he didn’t turn it off. Let’s find out.” Bobby pulled Reggie back into the other room before he could object.

Nick was still looking over the music when they got back, “Reg, I think I finally figured out the-“ he cut himself off as he caught sight of Reggie’s bright red cheeks, “Did I miss something?”

“Reg has something to tell you.” Bobby grinned as he pushed his boyfriend toward their soulmate, settling back onto the floor.

“Reggie?” Nick asked curiously as Reggie gaped at the other boy.

“I- uh, I-“ The black haired boy glanced over at his boyfriend, who nodded with a fond smile. Reggie closed his eyes, “I like you, Nick. And I’d like to go out with you.”

“Oh.” The blonde smiled sadly, “I like you too, Reg. But, uh, I’m different than Bobby. And I need you both to know this.” Bobby tilted his head to the side, urging the other boy to go on. “I don’t like sex, but I’m also not big on like kissing? I like holding hands, and I like the idea of like a kiss on the cheek, but nothing more than that.”

Reggie nodded, slowly reaching out and taking Nick’s hand, “That’s okay.If you want to do this- with me- you never have to do anything you don’t like with me.”

“But, what about Bobby-“

Bobby cleared his throat, “Reggie wants to date you and date me. But we wouldn’t be dating each other.I’m not ready for that.”

Nick nodded, glancing back at the bassist. “Okay. Let’s give it a try.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick and Reggie went on a date that didn’t end well. Bobby takes care of the problem.

Bobby was beyond happy that he had both his soulmates in his life. He and Nick still weren’t dating, but Reggie was the happiest Bobby had ever seen him, and that was enough for him. Nick wasn’t big on cuddling, so he would hold one of Reggie’s hands and Reggie would cuddle with Bobby. Carrie had cornered Bobby more than once, making sure her brother didn’t feel like he was second best, but Reggie never made him feel like that. No matter what was happening every day, Reggie made sure both of them felt secure in what he felt for them, and Bobby would be lying if he said that it didn’t make him fall even deeper in love with the bassist. Right now, he was sitting in the studio idly strumming on his guitar while he waited for his boys to come back from their date. He turned off his connection, giving his boys the privacy he would want given to him, but he was startled when the studio door slammed open and Nick led a trembling Reggie in. Bobby flew to his feet, carelessly tossing his guitar aside as he rushed across the room. “What happened?” He directed the question at Nick quietly, not daring to raise his voice.

“My- my dad.” Reggie cried, grabbing onto Bobby like he was a lifeline. Nick nodded, taking a step back to let Bobby hold Reggie. But Bobby reached out, offering his hand to Nick if the other boy wanted to be a part of it. He knew Nick wasn’t big on touching, but the other boy took his offered hand and wrapped himself around Reggie’s back.

“What did your dad do?” Bobby asked quietly.

Reggie sobbed into his shoulder for a few moments before he mumbled something. Bobby hummed, asking the boy to repeat himself. “He said I was broken.” Bobby tensed, but Reggie wasn’t finished, “He saw Nick and me holding hands, and he cornered us, yelling that we- we were broken and that fate led us to each other so we couldn’t break anyone else.”

“Reggie, baby, love, you are not broken. No one that cares for strangers like you do, or loves without a moments hesitation like you could ever be broken. And Nick and me? Your dad would think we were broken anyway. We know we’re not. But your old man is just an angry son of a bitch that needs to take his shortcomings out on other people. You got all the best parts of both your parents, and they just don’t like seeing that you are so much more than they could ever be.” Reggie gripped Bobby’s shirt tighter, anchoring himself to his boys. Nick and Bobby got him over to the couch as the tears exhausted him, and Bobby made sure Nick could handle it if Reggie woke up before he left. He didn’t ask where the other boy was going. He could tell by the way Bobby’s fists clenched and shook, the determined look in his eye.

When Bobby made it home, it was a few hours later. Reggie was still asleep, and Nick was sat in a chair nearby reading a book. The blonde looked up when the door opened, wordlessly grabbing supplies he’d stuck by his chair. He ushered Bobby into it, kneeling in front of him as he treated the boys busted knuckles and fixed them up. He handed him a note when he finished, and it told him that while he was gone he had Carrie take a baseball bat to a tree in the back yard, so Reggie would never need to know what actually happened. Bobby huffed a laugh, sharing a sad smile with the boy in front of him. Before he could think twice about it, he leaned forward, pressing a small kiss to the blonde’s forehead. They heard a yawn and turned to the couch to see Reggie giving them a sleepy grin.

“It’s about time, you two.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They become a trio. No words required.

Bobby figured it was inevitable when he finally admitted he had feelings for Nick. Because of his humor, or his humility, or his passion. He fell in love with the boy’s knowledge and his drive. There were a thousand reasons he could list, but the one at the top was the one that mattered the most to Bobby. He had fallen in love with the care Nick had for Reggie. The black haired boy had always been the most important person in Bobby’s life, and nothing and no one could ever take his place, though Nick was very close to the top.

The realization had hit Bobby one night, after he had fought Reggie’s father, which remained their secret. Reggie had asked both boys to join him for a movie night in the studio, and they readily agreed. Reggie had curled into Bobby’s side, and Nick was laying with his head in Bobby’s lap because the bassist wanted to play with his hair. Bobby had reached out without thinking, one hand wrapping in Reggie’s hair as he held him close, and the other tangling his fingers with Nick. The blonde had looked up at him, silently bringing their joined hands to his lips, and Bobby knew they wouldn’t need to talk about it. Reggie smirked, placing a kiss to Nick’s forehead, and another to Bobby’s lips.

“This is the way we’re supposed to be.” The black haired boy said quietly, and his boys couldn’t do anything by agree.


End file.
